Ardsley: Parks, Trailway, and Local History

Ardsley offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: sports facilities in two parks, the South County Trailway, and places of remembrance connected to local and transportation history. For your orientation, the specific differences are especially helpful: the parks are distinguished by their various sports facilities, while the Trailway is defined by its length and endpoints. Monuments and historical traditions broaden the picture of Ardsley beyond its recreational offerings.

Parks with Different Features

Pascone Park is located at the corner of Ashford Avenue and McCormick Drive. Its facilities include four tennis courts and a skate park. The Roll of Honor is also located in the park: the rebuilt memorial bears the names of 300 Ardsley residents who served in World War II. In this way, the park connects its sports facilities with a specific local remembrance.

McDowell Park is located on Heatherdell Road near the Sprain Parkway. It has four baseball fields and a basketball area. The two parks can be distinguished by their listed sports: tennis and a skate park at Pascone Park, baseball and basketball at McDowell Park. The Roll of Honor adds a place of remembrance to Pascone Park’s recreational offerings.

South County Trailway and Railway History

The South County Trailway is 14 miles long, paved, and designed as a multi-use trail; it runs from Yonkers to Elmsford. Its length, surface, and endpoints give you concrete reference points for understanding the route. This distinguishes the Trailway from the individual sports facilities in the parks: here, the type of trail and its route are the focus.

The name used today is part of a long transportation history. The former Old Put rail line, now the South County Trailway, connected Ardsley with New York City and the valleys of the Saw Mill River and Putnam for more than 75 years. The trail’s history therefore includes not only its present-day name, but also Ardsley’s former connection to these places and regions.

A historic commemorative marker for Ardsley station is installed at the entrance to the South County Trailway from Elm Street. The marker provides a specific local connection to the station’s history. Together with the former Old Put connection, it adds a local place of remembrance to the description of the Trailway.

Monuments and Local Remembrance

The Great Hunger Memorial offers a different perspective: the sculpture depicts a six-member Irish family arriving in America after fleeing the potato famine in Ireland. The scene focuses on flight, arrival, and a family. The Roll of Honor, by contrast, bears the names of Ardsley residents who served in World War II. The two memorials thus differ in form: an arrival scene on one hand, and the names of residents who served in wartime on the other.

Woodlands is also part of the area’s railway and excursion history. The Woodlands flag stop was on the Old Putnam Line Railroad; Woodlands Lake was a popular excursion destination for German- and Irish-American families. These local connections add a stop and a former excursion culture to the history of the railway.

The Ardsley Historical Society hosts public programs on local history and welcomes everyone. In addition, Post #458 and the Village of Ardsley sponsor an annual Memorial Day parade and ceremony. Public history programs and a recurring commemorative event thus represent distinct forms of local remembrance.

Discover More Destinations:

Yorktown Heights, Elmsford, Briarcliff Manor, Rye Brook, Rye, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, White Plains

For the broader travel overview: Westchester.